The state government on Thursday issued termination orders for 91 medical officers who had been selected recently but were not available to work at their places of posting, while nine others have tendered resignation.
The fresh orders have subtracted 100 more doctors from thealready shrinking pool of medical officers meant to improve healthcare deliveryin rural areas.
The order states that among the freshly terminated doctors,30 have not joined at their places of posting even after the last date ofjoining elapsed. The remaining have been found to have joined but were notphysically present at their places of posting “despite issuance of lastnotice”.
Health and medical education department also served the”last chance notice” to 24 medical officers who have been found physicallyabsent from their places of posting despite having put in their joiningreports.
In addition, termination orders of eight medical officershave been revoked upon communication by directorate of health services thattheir names were “inadvertently” in the list of those doctors who had notjoined.
The fresh termination orders have brought down the strengthof medical officers selected for 1000 posts to mere 393. Officials said 528selectees have either stayed away from their jobs or have continued to hold onto their prior commitment such as postgraduate degree or residency. Thedepleted strength, a health department official said, is set to jolt thedelivery of health services in rural areas.
On 14 January this year, Government issued the selectionlist of 921 medical officers who were to be posted in peripheral health sectorthat is marred by chronic shortage of doctors.
The selectees were given a time frame to join the places ofposting issued subsequently. The joining dates were extended several timesowing to inclement weather conditions that posed hindrance in travel tofar-flung and difficult areas.
During this period, the selectees who were pursuingpostgraduate courses or were engaged on registrar or resident posts had soughtflexibility in joining time. However, the state government as well as the HighCourt had issued orders that all selected candidates had only one option—eitherto join their places of posting or continue with their prior engagements.
Last month 437 medical officers who had failed to join theirplaces of posting were terminated.
An official in health and medical education department saidthat after consolidating fresh vacancies, the waiting list would be finalisedto recruit doctors.